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13. Charades, Alternades & Kangaroo Words

In general, charades refer to a word guessing game. A typical charade is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by miming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to convey the meaning to another party. In the U.K., the game is traditionally played at Christmas and on New Year’s Eve. However, in terms of logology, charades are words that contain sets of words within them by respacing but not rearranging letters, such as together (to + get + her).

across = a + cross

alienation = a + lie + nation

amiable = am + I + able

atrophy = a + trophy

averse = a + verse

barrage = bar + rage

history = hi + story

manslaughter = man’s laughter

mustache = must + ache

nowhere = now + here

psychotherapist = psycho + the + rapist

significant = sign + if + I +can’t

therapist = the + rapist

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An alternade is a word in which its letters, taken alternatively in a strict sequence, and used in the same order as the original word, make up at least two other words. All letters must be used, and the shorter words consist of either completely odd-numbered letters or completely even-numbered letters within the parent word (board = bad + or; troupe = top + rue; waist = wit + as). In this way, the term binade is also used. In addition, it is possible to have an alternade using every third letter, as in lacerated (let + are + cad). An alternade is much rarer than a charade (daredevil = dared + evil), which is not made up of alternating letters.

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Kangaroo words carry smaller words related in meaning to the parent word in which the smaller word is spelled with successive but not completely consecutive letters.

accustomed → used

acrid → acid

allocate → allot

amicable → amiable

brackets → braces

chocolate → cocoa

contaminate → taint

contradictory → contrary

cozen → con

deception → con

expurgate → purge

fabrication → fiction

facade → face

impertinent → pert

indolent → idle

obligated → obliged

prattle → prate

prosecute → sue

rambunctious → raucous

rapscallion → rascal

reduplicate → replicate

retrogress → regress

satiate → sate

satisfied → sated

tolerate → let

transgression → sin

variegated → varied

yearning → yen

unsightly → ugle

Exercise: Please work out the following kangaroo words.

arena → _____

barren → _____

blossom → _____

clue → _____

dazzle → _____

deceased → _____

destruction → _____

encourage → _____

inflammable → _____

moisture → _____

municipality → _____

precipitation → _____

quiescent → _____

revolution → _____

salvage → _____

shadowy → _____

stocking → _____

scion → _____

supervisor → _____

unanimity → _____

On the other hand, anti-kangaroo words carry their antonyms, such as covert, which contains overt.